Fantastic food and beer selection. Owner and staff are awesome. Hidden gem in Middletown. Will definitely be back on an ongoing basis.

This used to be one of my favorite places to dine- food, atmosphere, service was incredible. Recently, there has been a new bar manager there who ruins the entire experience. He is rude, short tempered, and has no business running a restaurant. Makes me sad for employees and other patrons. Will not be going back. read more

My husband was a far bigger fan of this place than I was. Personally, I found it to be a bit overhyped hipster-ish location and was pretty disappointed to find that a place called "Celtic Cavern" didn't have any Celtic food.... So we went here on NYE and I ordered the Paris cocktail, which was pretty good, but could have done with a bit more juice, was a bit too alcoholic tasting for my taste. I ordered the cauliflower curry and was sorely disappointed that there were only a few pieces of cauliflower in it and it was mostly potato curry. It definitely was lacking too, and I should have added grilled chicken to it. The garlic bread though was delicious, it comes on a plate with alfredo sauce on it, and I'd go back fro that, but overall I felt rather let down and unimpressed. read more

Service was great! Food was excellent. It has been a while since I was completely satisfied with a meal. The shrimp and grits were amazing, and the portion was huge. Then, we had the banana cake ice cream sandwich, YUM. Must try this place, nice atmosphere!!! read more

I have been here several times and the food is always great! Last night I picked up to go and all I can say it was amazing!!!! My husband had the shrimp and grits. He has had it several times and it is always great. I had the fresh catch special. It was scallops over risotto with a lobster sherry sauce, with grilled asparagus. Every part of my meal was on point. The scallops were cooked perfectly, the risotto was perfectly cooked and creamy. I hope they keep making this dish, because I will keep getting it! read more

Writing this in the car as I am leaving the establishment. Waited over 40 mins just for our order to be placed because the server "forgot". Food doesn't come out for an additional 15 minutes after another server only tells us 5 minutes. Also, a party of 5 that was seated after us (just my boyfriend and I) got their food and finished it well before we even got ours. My biggest gripe with this place is the service. Celtic Cavern has a weird, disorganized "open" server concept where multiple waitresses/waiters tend to you... maybe an efficient thought at first, however you can see how customers can clearly be forgotten about because of the lack of structure. Also, we had to request the owner to come over to void the meal. He was the grey hair, middle aged white dude. Owner was disgustingly unprofessional, he comes out curing at us, he makes excuses to us for the place being too busy, not caring if I write a bad Yelp review (LOL) and said he knows we won't be returning back (um, what?). Owner "claims" he would have paid for our meal if we accepted it instead of turning it away, okay so... why not offer it to me as take out then? I'm calling your bluff. What a joke. I've seen multiple reviews about the owner being a jerk and wow, they're right. read more

We came here as part of a post-work happy hour function. To our surprise, apparently "happy hour" does not include food. Regardless, we were all starving so we went ahead and ordered the lobster sliders, mushroom medley, and the steak and cheese on a crostini. The food itself was not bad, with Celtic providing generous portions of lobster and cooking the mushroom medley with some insanely addictive sauce or seasoning. The main concern here was that everything simply took forever. Getting our beers, getting our food, getting our check - we were waiting for an obscenely amount of time and it was by no means busy with only a handful of people at the bar and one other full dining table. That being said, I would be willing to come back for future work functions as the location is convenient and the food satisfying. read more

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I was really looking forward Irish food, so I found this joint. The bar had partitions every couple seats. It had a darker ambiance to keep with the name "Cavern." The wait staff was extremely friendly and efficient. So when we got the menus, I was pretty let down by the lack of Irish food- it was American food, 100%. I should have researched more before deciding to come based off the name. It also appeared that they only had Guiness as their Irish beer as well... The pricing was also a little heinous and there didn't seem to be a baseline - their prices were all over the place. If it was Irish food, I would have been fine with the price point. Ultimately I ordered the Chicken Dumpling Soup. Overall it was really delicious, but the dumplings did tend to be on the burnt side which was disappointing- I prefer to avoid carcinogens in my meal. The Creme brûlée was good, and I was happy that it was on the menu. To summarize, I probably wouldn't come back again. Between the lack of Irish food and the pricing, it just wasn't worth it for me. read more

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We've visited the Celtic Cavern several times, but our most recent visit really cemented our love for this place. We went for dinner with friends last night and started with the Skewered Steak... HOLY MOLY!! We were incredibly impressed with the juicy, delicious flavor and all agreed it was the star item of the evening. I ordered a Bacon Cheeseburger (without the bacon) and a side of Cajun fries. My meal was also delightful, lots of different flavors that complimented each other perfectly. The fries were crunchy and the Cajun spice wasn't too spicy. My boyfriend got the Primavera Pasta and added chicken, my friend got the Bacon Cheeseburger (and kept the bacon), and her husband got the Mac & Cheese. We ended the meal with one of their Peanut Butter Explosion desserts, which was divine!! Everyone really enjoyed their meals and said it was definitely worth the (very) long wait. Their beer menu is constantly changing, but we tried their sours, stouts, and a visiting Japanese beer. Which were all also very good. The staff is super attentive, even on a packed Friday night. The chef even came over and spent some time talking with us! Above all, the prices for everything are very fair and affordable; we were thrilled to see our final tab at the end of the night as it was much lower than we thought it was going to be. Every time we visit the Celtic Cavern, it's a great time; we will definitely continue to visit frequently. read more

One of my favorite places! A few things... -The food is ALWAYS on point. As far as being consistent, I have been here 15+ times (dine in and takeout) and am impressed every time. Seriously. -Ambience: it is so impressive that an underground, dark pub maintains its status as ambient, cozy, and fun all at once without ever giving a dingy or divey feel. They have seriously perfected the energy here to where anyone can be comfortable and feel welcome- I've shown up in extremely classy outfits, very casual leggings, Halloween costume, trendy hispster clothes, and have never felt out of place. Service: 9/10 times is very good. The girls and guys here are excellent. It is usually a very busy place which to me is always a good sign. My only problem is that they changed their menu pretty drastically. While I used to switch through ordering the same few items (not a meat eater) I was shocked when I came in to see they were all gone. My issue comes in where they told me that this was only temporary, they were switching up things in their kitchen, etc. no problem. Went back multiple times, hearing this again that it was temporary. Probably a year later and none of the items are back. If I had known this from the beginning I wouldn't have as much as an issue, but it would have been nice to not get my hopes up every time. Hence the four stars. read more

This place is so good! The food is incredible, and the drinks are strong. The service is interesting, we had multiple waiters come by to take our orders, which I enjoyed because my husband and I are not the type to have a relationship with our waiter, so we enjoy having a variety of servers as it seems more efficient. I loved that they have Josh wine on the menu, it's my favorite wine brand. The Cobb salad was incredible, I would definitely order it again. The vinaigrette was so yummy & the bacon was quality cuts. The steak cut like butter (medium order). I also took a trip to the bathrooms and was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness of a bar bathroom!! read more

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great vibe nice drink/beer choices we shared apps Brussel sprouts were good a bit salty but good ! Baked Burrata was also good Steak n Cheese rich and yummy read more

My friends and I are here for a birthday. This is my first time and I have to say; I'm impressed. Our server Shannon is bomb.com. Bubbly, attentive, knowledgeable... kind of what a server should be. Just sayin. I ordered the steak and bleu as an app. HOLY FLAVOR Batman!! Loved it! I followed that up with the Cuban Samich: not your typical Cuban. This had a lot of flavor!! Well done folks. I WILL BE BACK!! read more

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Went to have Dinner tonight. Party of 3. I can't sit in a high top chair. We ask for the booth. The so called male manager on duty told us he could not seat us at that table because it's for 4 people. The crazy thing is the tables with the high top chairs was also for a party of 4. I said you're really going to turn away a party of 3 because you refuse to seat us at a 4 top both. That's insane. He didn't care. I explained I have an issue that doesn't allow me to climb onto and off those chairs and it's discriminatory. To tell you the truth if you have any sort of handicap you can't get down into the restaurant as they built or have any way for people with disabilities. No elevator or ramp to enter or leave. If you walk with crutches or a wheelchair you will not be able to get into this restaurant. They need to be investigated and dealt with. They need more or better seat options for people that cannot climb onto a high top chair and a a way to get into the facility. SHAME on CELTIC CAVERN in Middletown, CT Near Main St. Turned out we ended up going to a next door restaurant Sicily. The Host/hostess, the waitstaff and the food were spot on and the could not doan do anything to make our experience better than perfect. Don't patronize a business that discriminate - CELTIC CAVERN!!! read more

Awesome time at the Celtic Cavern last night. Our waitress was great and she was super informative with the menu. The food was fantastic, largely portioned and incredibly tasty. Only thing is that it's super dark in the bar. But I can't say much about this because it's a bar and it's name is literally the Celtic Cavern. It's pretty fitting, really. Would definitely come back one day with friends and family! read more

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Unlike the name would imply, this is not an Irish pub. The food here can be classified as eclectic. I came here with a large work group for happy hour. There are no happy hour food deals, but they do have happy hour drink deals. The food was good, but not memorable. We ordered a bunch of appetizers. The others who came with me seemed to thoroughly enjoy the food - so I imagine it's just personal choice that made me think the food is just basic. I would have considered giving the place 4 stars, taking into consideration how much everyone else seemed to like the food, but the service was horrible. It almost felt like they didn't want us to order food and once we did manage to order food, it felt like it took a long time for it to arrive. We were the only group there when we arrived, so they couldn't have been busy. Summary: If your looking for a happy hour place, willing to just chill for a few hours, not terribly hungry, and looking for drink deals - try this place out. read more

Celtic Cavern - Lobster sliders - Gastropubs Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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Not OPEN!!!!! Waited all day to come here and it's not even online that it's closed paid for parking and everything great!!! Bs!! read more

Local fav! We come to celtic atleast once a week or every other week when we want to have a nice chill night out. Celtic has the best intimate and chill vibe but also fun and fresh. It's tucked away in a downstairs area with low lighting and a big bar but also seating that is perfect to meet someone for dinner. Their menu has a lot of different options and the food is fantastic. The service goes above and beyond as whenever my friends and i visit we are helped by numerous serves making sure we're okay. definitely recommend the mac and cheese as well as steak skewers! Can never go wrong here and one of the few places open up past midnight read more

Celtic Cavern - cocktails - Gastropubs Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

Was only asked 3 times if we wanted our waters filled, was really hoping for 5 times. Upsetting! (Couldn't think of anything negative just want to make it to the wall). read more

Always excellent food & service!! Best burger around and the Mac & cheese with chicken and bacon added is amazing!!

Delicious food, great ambiance just like a cavern. Great selection of beer. Service is very nice and attentive.

Becoming a regular here- food is great! Salads and tacos are a favorite ! Service is fabulous and overly attentive.

So good! What a pleasant surprise. My husband loved the ambiance of this place - since it's basement level it kinda has a speakeasy type of feel. We opted to sit at the bar for dinner, which ended up being service by committee style and all of the bartenders/servers were very friendly. The food really surprised us - so good. We loved the brussels sprouts appetizer and I am not exaggerating at all when I say that the bacon burger was one of the best burgers I've ever had in my life. This was not your typical bacon - it was thick cut, deliciously seasoned and perfectly cooked, in divine union with the melting cheese...it was amazing. My husband enjoyed his steak as well, which was on par with a steakhouse...in price as well, at $59, but great quality. We didn't love the cocktails. My husband thought the old fashioned was too maple syrup-y, and I loved the taste of the strawberry lemonade but couldn't taste any vodka. That said, they have an awesome selection of craft beers on draft, and everything else more than made up for it. We will be back! read more

Great food, atmosphere and service. My chicken blt wrap was incredible. The selection of draft beer is top notch. We had I primarily waitress but several others including the hostess checked in on us throughout the meal. The location can be a little difficult to find if you're not familiar with the downtown area. It's definitely worth the extra effort. We were walking so it was a little better. They know what they are doing and do it very well. read more

Celtic Cavern - Jack n Coke - Gastropubs Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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Had a great experience here after the pride parade. The chicken and wild rice soup has me dreaming about it. Loved they had a dark meat chicken option (chicken thighs) which were very good. It was an appetizer but I had enough to take to lunch the next day. The bartender was very attentive and followed my request for a "pretty drink". The strawberries for it were squeezed in front me which was cool. I'm coming back to try the loaded fries .... They look to die for! read more

Celtic Cavern - Chicken thighs - Gastropubs Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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If I were to give Celtic Cavern a grade, it would not be higher than a C. I was expecting so much more from the food given its high Yelp rating. We had the crab dip (good), lobster sliders, and bacon burger. The sliders and the burger were served with thick, dry rolls. I had to ask for butter to put on my sliders because they were so dry. It helped, but the dish still lacked flavor. We both ordered our entrees with fries, which ended up being soggy and oily. The fries weren't cooked properly at all. The prices were on the high side ($29 for the sliders, $14 for the burger) and definitely weren't justified. Nevertheless, they had a good number of beers and wines by the glass. The Cavern was super busy, so people seem to like it; but I prefer so many other restaurants in Middletown over this one. It's also super noisy down there in the basement. read more

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Excellent! My husband & I were passing through & found this restaurant by chance. Everyone was so friendly & attentive . My hubby had the burger which was delicious! I ordered the Mac & cheese with beacon which was creamy & hot! We started with cob salad delicious also hot beacon on top with deviled eggs , plentiful for 2 people. We will come back. I would give more stars if I could read more

Been there many times and never disappointed. Great quality food! A very good choice of Craft Beers on draft also!

The food is absolutely phenomenal! The bacon burger is the best burger I've ever had!! The loaded fries are addicting and the service here is amazing! The people are so sweet and friendly, they communicate very well with each other and everything is out fast and obviously delicious. It's a small, well decorated place that's very welcoming! Please check this place out or don't and leave more spots for us! read more

Celtic Cavern - Strawberry Shortcake ice cream sandwich - Gastropubs Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

This is my husband and my favorite restaurant!! The food, drinks and atmosphere are incredible. Our favorites are the deviled eggs, the flash fried Brussels sprout with the Cajun remoulade and the Cobb salad with steak. Oh and the Boozy coffee...yum!!! read more

Celtic Cavern - Cobb Salad with Steak and a Boozy Coffee - Gastropubs Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

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Our second visit to the Celtic Cavern was excellent. Visited on a Tuesday night and the place was hopping so we ate at the Bar. We had the steak salad and the swordfish special and both were delightful. Good portions, fresh ingredients and wonderfully prepared! Further, the Bar staff was incredibly attentive and provided friendly service. Atmosphere is casual but pretty noisy 'cause everyone is having a great time! Nothing but five stars here! read more

First visit at "Celtic Cavern" 45 Melilli Plaza, Middletown, CT 06457. A gastropub specializing in seasonal American fare (not Irish fare, as the name might imply.) Going down the stairs to this basement pub I thought it would be tiny, but the room opened with a long bar and quite a few tables and booths. Still very cozy with low lighting, some music and a bar TV. Broad selection of craft beer viewable on your phone. A special today was six sea scallops pan cooked with bacon and served with balsamic vinegar greens and we loved it! My wife had SHRIMP-N-GRITS - shrimp, spicy Tasso ham, cream, polenta, garlic butter, creole spices, grana padano. It was quite spicy, and she loved it! I had the famous BACON BURGER with bacon, mushroom, smoked gouda, garlic aioli, brioche. This may have been the best I have ever had, and I've been a foodie for a long time! It was served with Celtic fries which were skin on and obviously Belgian double fried and .........fantastic!! The staff was perfect, knowledgeable, helpful, spot-on, and genuinely concerned we were happy with everything! They really work as a team. Five ladies worked together to be sure the customers were delighted. Suffice to say I'll be back! read more

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We go here often. They have a tremendous variety of beer and an assortment of delicious dishes and they make the best burgers around. read more

Celtic Cavern - Gastropubs Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

This is by far my favorite restaurant so far in Connecticut. I've been coming on and off to CT for about a year and a half now and this will always be go to. The bacon burger is to die for. The daily specials are always amazing, whatever the fish special is that day my fiancé usually gets and loves. The staff is always attentive. I've sat at tables and at the bar. There can be a wait but it's definitely worth it. It's an atmosphere you just want to be in, one that draws you back. 10/10 Highly Recommend!! read more

The best pork chop you will ever eat and I have had pork chops everywhere. Seriously if you don't like it send me the hate. I am confident I won't get any. If you never order pork chop out this is the place to try it . It's as good as the prime steaks they offer for half the price ( sorry Celtic cows) . Service is top notch and a huge draft beer selection . Music is cool as hell if you can hear it over the packed bar having a great time . read more

Celtic Cavern - Gastropubs Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

I can't say enough about this place. Anytime I'm in Middletown, this is the go-to. Stopped in yesterday with a buddy for lunch and they had a surf and turf for two but it seriously felt like it was for 4! Blew me away. Everything tasted perfect. Bartenders were on point and it was an enjoyable experience as always. read more

Celtic Cavern - Gastropubs Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

Don't often leave a review, 'cause look, everyone has an opinion and nobody really cares. But here's our take: We live about 20 mins from here. It's been a goto for us for the last five years. * Never had a bad meal * Alway fast and friendly service, even when they are busy * Not cheap, (and it shouldn't be if it's good) but reasonable Just read some of the attack reviews and it made me feel bad for these guys, because they've always been great to us. The upside is that the relatively few jerks that wrote the bad reviews won't be coming here anymore and naturally they won't be missed either... read more

Food was great and the service was excellent. The servers checked on us more than any other restaurant I've been to. I definitely recommend it. read more

Very attentive service. The food was amazing! Taco Tuesday is the way to go. Love the quotes on the walls read more

The service here is phenomenal super packed bar waiting around for a drink at least four servers came up to make sure we were taken care of! Beyond friendly staff and very attentive. Very punny drink menu I love it so much makes you want to try everything! Food tasted fresh and the hummus plate for an all its a rotating hummus so every week the chef changes it and so far out of the multiple times I've been every hummus from scratch has been delicious! Definitely one Of my fave spots in Middletown read more